Report urges mentors for early school leavers

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Youths who leave school before year 12 are more likely to find
full-time work or continue their education if they have a mentor or
case manager to help them when they leave.

According to a new report, those not working or studying full
time six months after leaving school fell 10 per cent when they had
a "transition broker".

The report, commissioned by the independent Dusseldorp Skills
Forum, tracked 3000 early school leavers across 28 schools in
Victoria, NSW and Queensland from 2000 to 2004.

Among this group - which had access to career advice, mentors
and employment agencies - 30 per cent were in part-time work,
unemployed or not in the labour force, compared to the national
average of more than 40 per cent.

Dr John Spierings, research strategist for the not-for-profit
policy and research organisation, said this showed the need for
long-term support in the transition from school.

"They're leaving a system that's largely within the jurisdiction
of the states and entering the employment market, which is largely
the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth, and our systems are actually
very badly co-ordinated to assist young people in making that
transition," he said.

The report, Local Investment: National Returns, also
highlights Australian Bureau of Statistics data that shows early
school leavers are more than twice as likely as those who complete
year 12 to be unemployed, in part-time work or not in the labour
force six months after school.

The report recommends that early leavers should be entitled to
support and resources up to a year 12 equivalent through other
options such as apprenticeships.